A SENIOR cop joined local leaders at her former school in Tameside to give pupils a platform to openly share their thoughts and experiences surrounding violence against women and girls.
Chief Inspector Clare Galt returned to Fairfield High School For Girls to start a conversation with several Year 11 students so they could express their feelings, emotions and concerns regarding the safety of women and girls in their local community.
The police officer was accompanied at the Droylsden-based secondary school by some of her colleagues and the Civic Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Tafheen Sharif, for the ‘listening circle’.
Greater Manchester Police say the session allowed young girls to voice what matters most to them and articulate their vision for a safer, more inclusive community.
It also aimed to deepen understanding of the challenges surrounding violence against women and girls while equipping young people with further knowledge and resources to help drive positive transformation.
Chief Inspector Galt, of GMP’s Tameside district, said: “Coming back to my former school in Tameside, it’s truly heartening to witness local leaders and students uniting to discuss their lived experiences and thoughts on Violence Against Women and Girls.
“The session has been a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to raise awareness and empower our youth to be the change-makers in their community.
“The collaboration between School Engagement Officers, the Mayor, school authorities and the students at Fairfield High School For Girls exemplifies the strength of collective action in addressing these important issues. Tameside is forging ahead with a renewed and more collaborative approach to tackling violence against women and girls.”
The borough’s Civic Mayor, Cllr Sharif, commented: “It was really positive to work together with GMP on this initiative to gauge views on safety from the young girls of Fairfield High School For Girls.
“We had open and honest conversations, which were very insightful although – being a woman myself – nothing came to surprise.
“I feel reassured that partners like Greater Manchester Police are helping to lead on this issue, so we can all work together to ensure the safety of our women and girls in the borough.
“Tameside Council recently attained White Ribbon accreditation in recognition of our ongoing work to tackle violence against women and girls and I look forward to seeing this develop further.”